Composting 101

There are two different options for those of you new to composting: backyard composting and indoor composting.

Backyard composting means you will either create a compost bin outside or create a compost pile. For backyard composting, you will want to:

Find a dry, shady spot near a hose or other water source
Add materials as they are collected, making sure larger pieces have been chopped or shredded
Keep the dry materials moist as they are added to your pile or bin
Mix grass clippings and other green material into the pile

Indoor composting is the preferred method for people who don't have sufficient outdoor space available to them. You can buy a small bucket or bin (local hardware stores will have composting bins) and toss your food scraps/waste in here. Remember to mix in green material and tend to your bin regularly.

You can use your compost as a natural fertilizer that will enrich soil. If not, just know that by composting you have kept your food waste out of landfills, where it would otherwise take up space and release methane into the air.